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How you think has a profound effect on your physical and emotional health.  People who constantly see themselves and their life in a negative light, work themselves into a state of low self-esteem and depression. They also burden their bodies with unrelenting stress.

The way we think is not inherited. It is a learned response and may be situational.  It's a habit we develop over years of absorbing the attitudes of those around us… co-workers, clients, family and friends.

Common Distortions

Exaggerating:  “I just can’t get myself to do any work around the house / my whole marriage is falling apart.”  You over-estimate the size of your problems at the same time you under-estimate your ability to deal with them.  You jump to conclusions without any evidence and then believe those conclusions are correct.

Ignoring the Positive:  “Sure the meeting went all right, but I forgot to discuss an important point.”  You tend to remember negative events.

Personalizing:  “Everybody at the party kept looking at me because I’m gaining weight.”  You tend to think that everything revolves around you … a major distortion of the facts.

Either/Or Thinking:  “Either I get this promotion, or I’m a complete failure!”

Over-generalizing:  “Nobody likes me … They are all out to get me … Nothing ever turns out right.”

Jumping to Conclusions: There are 2 points to this distortion:

1. Fortune telling:  “The boss hasn’t given me my evaluation yet.  It must really be bad!”
2. Mind reading:  “She’s ignoring me.  I must have done something wrong!”

How to Shed Negative Feelings

• Negative thoughts almost always contain gross distortions.  Recognising distorted thought processes is the first step.  Start listening to the way you talk to yourself.

• In order to reshape these negative self-defeating thought patterns, ask yourself how realistic are they?  Ask yourself if you are exaggerating or over-generalising.  Think of a more factual, balanced outcome.  What's more likely the truth?

• Take action.  Do something you enjoy each day and think of how good it felt or how well you did it.  Create opportunities to feel good about yourself.

• Don’t create stories! Your assumptions are most likely incorrect. There are generally good reasons behind someone's actions or inactions
  

• Surround yourself with people that are positive and steer away from the drama queens/kings! Just like you are what you eat, you are who you surround yourself with. Both mindsets are infectious, the choice is simple!

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Jacqueline is an independent Arbonne consultant who specialises in the importance of pure, safe and beneficial Swiss skin care that is Vegan-Certified yet affordable.